An inquest found the 39-year-old was two-and-a-half times over the legal drink-drive limit and his accident would not have been prevented had there been lights.

Share article

But a coroner has since said he will write to the Highways Agency urging them to rethink their policy after drivers caught up in the aftermath of the crash said they might have been able to avoid the debris in the road, had there been lights.

Surely anyone with impaired night vision shouldn't be driving at night,if at all.

Score: 14

soup123 says...10:10pm Wed 26 Feb 14

Cleaning up the cats eyes and road markings would be a start. On dark nights, when its chucking down with rain it is tricky to see the lane markings.

Cleaning up the cats eyes and road markings would be a start. On dark nights, when its chucking down with rain it is tricky to see the lane markings.soup123

Cleaning up the cats eyes and road markings would be a start. On dark nights, when its chucking down with rain it is tricky to see the lane markings.

Score: 12

jaffa90 says...11:51pm Wed 26 Feb 14

the genuine cypruslad wrote…

Surely anyone with impaired night vision shouldn't be driving at night,if at all.

How does one know? My optician told me I had one eye borderline for driving. I can read a number plate at 20 metres no problem. I now wear glasses. The moral of the reply is that opticians do not have to report people/drivers/rider s who should wear glasses and the eyesight test is out of date and dangerous.

[quote][p][bold]the genuine cypruslad[/bold] wrote:
Surely anyone with impaired night vision shouldn't be driving at night,if at all.[/p][/quote]How does one know? My optician told me I had one eye borderline for driving. I can read a number plate at 20 metres no problem. I now wear glasses. The moral of the reply is that opticians do not have to report people/drivers/rider
s who should wear glasses and the eyesight test is out of date and dangerous.jaffa90

the genuine cypruslad wrote…

Surely anyone with impaired night vision shouldn't be driving at night,if at all.

How does one know? My optician told me I had one eye borderline for driving. I can read a number plate at 20 metres no problem. I now wear glasses. The moral of the reply is that opticians do not have to report people/drivers/rider s who should wear glasses and the eyesight test is out of date and dangerous.

Score: 1

bluewindow says...9:21am Thu 27 Feb 14

The crash that kicked off this debate was due to a drunk driver!!! There are miles and miles of unlit roads in great Briton . You drive to the road conditions. Also iif you crash during day light hours can you excuse be that it was to bright???

The crash that kicked off this debate was due to a drunk driver!!! There are miles and miles of unlit roads in great Briton . You drive to the road conditions. Also iif you crash during day light hours can you excuse be that it was to bright???bluewindow

The crash that kicked off this debate was due to a drunk driver!!! There are miles and miles of unlit roads in great Briton . You drive to the road conditions. Also iif you crash during day light hours can you excuse be that it was to bright???

Score: 2

burner says...9:53am Thu 27 Feb 14

At which point in this foolish article does ANY Road Safety Charity state that specifically the " M65 poses night vision worries " ? There is no direct quote because they did not actually indicate that the M65 is a problem any different to any of the millions of miles of unlit roads in Britain.

At which point in this foolish article does ANY Road Safety Charity state that specifically the " M65 poses night vision worries " ? There is no direct quote because they did not actually indicate that the M65 is a problem any different to any of the millions of miles of unlit roads in Britain.burner

At which point in this foolish article does ANY Road Safety Charity state that specifically the " M65 poses night vision worries " ? There is no direct quote because they did not actually indicate that the M65 is a problem any different to any of the millions of miles of unlit roads in Britain.

Score: 1

HarryBosch says...9:54am Thu 27 Feb 14

You must tell the DVLA if you have night blindness. Most drivers know that the minimum requirement for eyesight is the ability to read a number plate at 20 metres. But I suspect that not every driver is aware of the fact that you must declare if you suffer from night blindness. You can be prosecuted if you have an accident and it comes to light that you have not declared it.

You must tell the DVLA if you have night blindness. Most drivers know that the minimum requirement for eyesight is the ability to read a number plate at 20 metres. But I suspect that not every driver is aware of the fact that you must declare if you suffer from night blindness. You can be prosecuted if you have an accident and it comes to light that you have not declared it.HarryBosch

You must tell the DVLA if you have night blindness. Most drivers know that the minimum requirement for eyesight is the ability to read a number plate at 20 metres. But I suspect that not every driver is aware of the fact that you must declare if you suffer from night blindness. You can be prosecuted if you have an accident and it comes to light that you have not declared it.

Score: 0

M.DANNY says...10:00am Thu 27 Feb 14

We need lights on motoways safe motorways are with good lights on a foggy and in heavy rains.A motorist will never drive their cars without their car headlamps on a foggy or during heavy showers. Road safety campaigners must fight for more lights on M65 motorways as it is very dangerous for those with impaired visions and elderly people too. UK is small overcrowded country with 35 million cars and with our small motorway networks around our small island we should have good motorway networks with lights on at night. Countries like US Australia China Russia Brazil Canada and India which are very large countries with very large motorway networks may not need lights on their highways, because of the land mass.

We need lights on motoways safe motorways are with good lights on a foggy and in heavy rains.A motorist will never drive their cars without their car headlamps on a foggy or during heavy showers.
Road safety campaigners must fight for more lights on M65 motorways as it is very dangerous for those with impaired visions and elderly people too.
UK is small overcrowded country with 35 million cars and with our small motorway networks around our small island we should have good motorway networks with lights on at night.
Countries like US Australia China Russia Brazil Canada and India which are very large countries with very large motorway networks may not need lights on their highways, because of the land mass.M.DANNY

We need lights on motoways safe motorways are with good lights on a foggy and in heavy rains.A motorist will never drive their cars without their car headlamps on a foggy or during heavy showers. Road safety campaigners must fight for more lights on M65 motorways as it is very dangerous for those with impaired visions and elderly people too. UK is small overcrowded country with 35 million cars and with our small motorway networks around our small island we should have good motorway networks with lights on at night. Countries like US Australia China Russia Brazil Canada and India which are very large countries with very large motorway networks may not need lights on their highways, because of the land mass.

Score: 1

darwenTower says...10:26am Thu 27 Feb 14

M.DANNY said "Road safety campaigners must fight for more lights on M65 motorways as it is very dangerous for those with impaired visions and elderly people too." If the motorways aren't safe for the visually impaired and old dodderers, then may I please suggest that those people stay off them.

M.DANNY said
"Road safety campaigners must fight for more lights on M65 motorways as it is very dangerous for those with impaired visions and elderly people too."
If the motorways aren't safe for the visually impaired and old dodderers, then may I please suggest that those people stay off them.darwenTower

M.DANNY said "Road safety campaigners must fight for more lights on M65 motorways as it is very dangerous for those with impaired visions and elderly people too." If the motorways aren't safe for the visually impaired and old dodderers, then may I please suggest that those people stay off them.

Score: 3

A Darener says...10:28am Thu 27 Feb 14

"Countries like US Australia China Russia Brazil Canada and India which are very large countries with very large motorway networks may not need lights on their highways, because of the land mass." Sorry but this response is garbage! What has the land mass got to do with safe driving at night? It is driving outside the safety margin that causes these accidents, not lights. If it is dark then drive within your capabilities. e.g. slower!

"Countries like US Australia China Russia Brazil Canada and India which are very large countries with very large motorway networks may not need lights on their highways, because of the land mass."
Sorry but this response is garbage!
What has the land mass got to do with safe driving at night? It is driving outside the safety margin that causes these accidents, not lights. If it is dark then drive within your capabilities. e.g. slower!A Darener

"Countries like US Australia China Russia Brazil Canada and India which are very large countries with very large motorway networks may not need lights on their highways, because of the land mass." Sorry but this response is garbage! What has the land mass got to do with safe driving at night? It is driving outside the safety margin that causes these accidents, not lights. If it is dark then drive within your capabilities. e.g. slower!

Score: 4

M.DANNY says...10:57am Thu 27 Feb 14

A Darener wrote…

"Countries like US Australia China Russia Brazil Canada and India which are very large countries with very large motorway networks may not need lights on their highways, because of the land mass." Sorry but this response is garbage! What has the land mass got to do with safe driving at night? It is driving outside the safety margin that causes these accidents, not lights. If it is dark then drive within your capabilities. e.g. slower!

A crowded country of ours with small motorway networks with 35 million cars 519 cars per thousand people and 63 million people with land area with square mile of 93,278 and density per square mile is 650 so our country is very overcrowded with these figures. Our motoway network is small compared to ie US have 259,000 km China have 96,000 km India has 21,000 km Canada has 17,00 km Spain has 15,00 km Germany has 12,000 km France has 11,000 km UK has 3,500 km of motorways so our roads and motorways are very overcrowded with 35 million cars and 519 cars per thousand people on our small island. Driving outside safety margins causes accidents but roads with congestions and traffic volumes are the main cause of accidents. Busy roads and motorways can lead to more accidents it is a fact.

[quote][p][bold]A Darener[/bold] wrote:
"Countries like US Australia China Russia Brazil Canada and India which are very large countries with very large motorway networks may not need lights on their highways, because of the land mass."
Sorry but this response is garbage!
What has the land mass got to do with safe driving at night? It is driving outside the safety margin that causes these accidents, not lights. If it is dark then drive within your capabilities. e.g. slower![/p][/quote]A crowded country of ours with small motorway networks with 35 million cars 519 cars per thousand people and 63 million people with land area with square mile of 93,278 and density per square mile is 650 so our country is very overcrowded with these figures.
Our motoway network is small compared to ie
US have 259,000 km
China have 96,000 km
India has 21,000 km
Canada has 17,00 km
Spain has 15,00 km
Germany has 12,000 km
France has 11,000 km
UK has 3,500 km of motorways
so our roads and motorways are very overcrowded with 35 million cars and 519 cars per thousand people on our small island.
Driving outside safety margins causes accidents but roads with congestions and traffic volumes are the main cause of accidents. Busy roads and motorways can lead to more accidents it is a fact.M.DANNY

A Darener wrote…

"Countries like US Australia China Russia Brazil Canada and India which are very large countries with very large motorway networks may not need lights on their highways, because of the land mass." Sorry but this response is garbage! What has the land mass got to do with safe driving at night? It is driving outside the safety margin that causes these accidents, not lights. If it is dark then drive within your capabilities. e.g. slower!

A crowded country of ours with small motorway networks with 35 million cars 519 cars per thousand people and 63 million people with land area with square mile of 93,278 and density per square mile is 650 so our country is very overcrowded with these figures. Our motoway network is small compared to ie US have 259,000 km China have 96,000 km India has 21,000 km Canada has 17,00 km Spain has 15,00 km Germany has 12,000 km France has 11,000 km UK has 3,500 km of motorways so our roads and motorways are very overcrowded with 35 million cars and 519 cars per thousand people on our small island. Driving outside safety margins causes accidents but roads with congestions and traffic volumes are the main cause of accidents. Busy roads and motorways can lead to more accidents it is a fact.

Score: 1

A Darener says...11:01am Thu 27 Feb 14

"roads with congestions and traffic volumes are the main cause of accidents. Busy roads and motorways can lead to more accidents it is a fact." People, not roads or congestion are the MAIN cause of accidents, fact!

"roads with congestions and traffic volumes are the main cause of accidents. Busy roads and motorways can lead to more accidents it is a fact."
People, not roads or congestion are the MAIN cause of accidents, fact!A Darener

"roads with congestions and traffic volumes are the main cause of accidents. Busy roads and motorways can lead to more accidents it is a fact." People, not roads or congestion are the MAIN cause of accidents, fact!

Score: 2

HarryBosch says...11:49am Thu 27 Feb 14

http://www.telegraph .co.uk/motoring/road -safety/8702111/How- do-accidents-happen. html This article is an eye opening read. There is no such thing as an accident.

http://www.telegraph
.co.uk/motoring/road
-safety/8702111/How-
do-accidents-happen.
html
This article is an eye opening read. There is no such thing as an accident.HarryBosch

http://www.telegraph .co.uk/motoring/road -safety/8702111/How- do-accidents-happen. html This article is an eye opening read. There is no such thing as an accident.

Score: 0

rudis_dad says...11:53am Thu 27 Feb 14

Like the number of people who drive with sub-standard driving ability, the number of people who drive with sub-standard eyesight is truly frightening. Here's an unscientific test you can do - first of all, check whether you can read a number plate at 20 metres. Wear your lenses or glasses if you have to. Can you do it? Yes? Right, now get all your mates to do it. I'll put money on at least 50% not being able to do it. Yet how many of then drive without wearing their glasses or lenses? And I'm sorry, but if you have impaired night vision, or you are "easily confused", whatever that means, then you shouldn't be on the roads at all. Roads, traffic congestion and weather/lighting conditions DO NOT cause accidents. Inattentive, unfit, incompetent and arrogant drivers cause accidents - nothing more, nothing less.

Like the number of people who drive with sub-standard driving ability, the number of people who drive with sub-standard eyesight is truly frightening. Here's an unscientific test you can do - first of all, check whether you can read a number plate at 20 metres. Wear your lenses or glasses if you have to. Can you do it? Yes? Right, now get all your mates to do it. I'll put money on at least 50% not being able to do it. Yet how many of then drive without wearing their glasses or lenses? And I'm sorry, but if you have impaired night vision, or you are "easily confused", whatever that means, then you shouldn't be on the roads at all.
Roads, traffic congestion and weather/lighting conditions DO NOT cause accidents. Inattentive, unfit, incompetent and arrogant drivers cause accidents - nothing more, nothing less.rudis_dad

Like the number of people who drive with sub-standard driving ability, the number of people who drive with sub-standard eyesight is truly frightening. Here's an unscientific test you can do - first of all, check whether you can read a number plate at 20 metres. Wear your lenses or glasses if you have to. Can you do it? Yes? Right, now get all your mates to do it. I'll put money on at least 50% not being able to do it. Yet how many of then drive without wearing their glasses or lenses? And I'm sorry, but if you have impaired night vision, or you are "easily confused", whatever that means, then you shouldn't be on the roads at all. Roads, traffic congestion and weather/lighting conditions DO NOT cause accidents. Inattentive, unfit, incompetent and arrogant drivers cause accidents - nothing more, nothing less.

Score: 2

Corsetmaker says...12:56pm Thu 27 Feb 14

"Countries like US Australia China Russia Brazil Canada and India which are very large countries with very large motorway networks may not need lights on their highways, because of the land mass." What a load of rubbish!! What has an area of land have to do with it?! You have tried to make a reasonably intelligent reply, but you have applied the wrong information and data for the argument to be even remotely valid. Driving like an absolute tit, driving whilst under the influence (like this guy was) driving whilst messing around on your mobile phone & not paying attention to the road... THOSE things cause accidents. Strangely enough, cars have lights on them, they light up the road when you are driving... if you cant see well enough to drive at night, do us all a favour and hand your licence back!

"Countries like US Australia China Russia Brazil Canada and India which are very large countries with very large motorway networks may not need lights on their highways, because of the land mass."
What a load of rubbish!! What has an area of land have to do with it?! You have tried to make a reasonably intelligent reply, but you have applied the wrong information and data for the argument to be even remotely valid. Driving like an absolute tit, driving whilst under the influence (like this guy was) driving whilst messing around on your mobile phone & not paying attention to the road... THOSE things cause accidents. Strangely enough, cars have lights on them, they light up the road when you are driving... if you cant see well enough to drive at night, do us all a favour and hand your licence back!Corsetmaker

"Countries like US Australia China Russia Brazil Canada and India which are very large countries with very large motorway networks may not need lights on their highways, because of the land mass." What a load of rubbish!! What has an area of land have to do with it?! You have tried to make a reasonably intelligent reply, but you have applied the wrong information and data for the argument to be even remotely valid. Driving like an absolute tit, driving whilst under the influence (like this guy was) driving whilst messing around on your mobile phone & not paying attention to the road... THOSE things cause accidents. Strangely enough, cars have lights on them, they light up the road when you are driving... if you cant see well enough to drive at night, do us all a favour and hand your licence back!

Score: -1

CeeBee85 says...1:55pm Thu 27 Feb 14

There shouldn't be any one driving with impaired vision...!!! It's a person's own responsibility to make sure they wear appropriate glasses/contacts, and if their sight is so bad that even glasses and contacts are good enough, then they shouldn't be on the road! However I do agree that the motorway should be lit. Even if it was every 2nd or 3rd light, that would make a difference. Although the person who caused the accident mentioned above, the absolute darkness on the motorway at the time would have meant that any motorists approaching the scene of the accident may have had trouble spotting it early enough to avoid, causing further accidents. It's completely ridiculous that any stretch of motorway is left totally unlit, just to save money.

There shouldn't be any one driving with impaired vision...!!! It's a person's own responsibility to make sure they wear appropriate glasses/contacts, and if their sight is so bad that even glasses and contacts are good enough, then they shouldn't be on the road! However I do agree that the motorway should be lit. Even if it was every 2nd or 3rd light, that would make a difference. Although the person who caused the accident mentioned above, the absolute darkness on the motorway at the time would have meant that any motorists approaching the scene of the accident may have had trouble spotting it early enough to avoid, causing further accidents. It's completely ridiculous that any stretch of motorway is left totally unlit, just to save money.CeeBee85

There shouldn't be any one driving with impaired vision...!!! It's a person's own responsibility to make sure they wear appropriate glasses/contacts, and if their sight is so bad that even glasses and contacts are good enough, then they shouldn't be on the road! However I do agree that the motorway should be lit. Even if it was every 2nd or 3rd light, that would make a difference. Although the person who caused the accident mentioned above, the absolute darkness on the motorway at the time would have meant that any motorists approaching the scene of the accident may have had trouble spotting it early enough to avoid, causing further accidents. It's completely ridiculous that any stretch of motorway is left totally unlit, just to save money.

Score: 0

M.DANNY says...7:55pm Thu 27 Feb 14

I am backing Lancashire Telegraph to have lights back on M65 Motorway and it is much safer to have lights on motorway in event of accidents. Britain is a small island our motorway network is small compared to many other countries I want lights on all our motorways . Switching lights off to reduce carbon emission why not switch street lights off in our towns and cities at midnight while all our population are a sleeping or do we fear crimes will rise ?.

I am backing Lancashire Telegraph to have lights back on M65 Motorway and it is much safer to have lights on motorway in event of accidents.
Britain is a small island our motorway network is small compared to many other countries I want lights on all our motorways .
Switching lights off to reduce carbon emission why not switch street lights off in our towns and cities at midnight while all our population are a sleeping or do we fear crimes will rise ?.M.DANNY

I am backing Lancashire Telegraph to have lights back on M65 Motorway and it is much safer to have lights on motorway in event of accidents. Britain is a small island our motorway network is small compared to many other countries I want lights on all our motorways . Switching lights off to reduce carbon emission why not switch street lights off in our towns and cities at midnight while all our population are a sleeping or do we fear crimes will rise ?.

Score: 1

HarryBosch says...8:24pm Thu 27 Feb 14

M.DANNY wrote…

I am backing Lancashire Telegraph to have lights back on M65 Motorway and it is much safer to have lights on motorway in event of accidents. Britain is a small island our motorway network is small compared to many other countries I want lights on all our motorways . Switching lights off to reduce carbon emission why not switch street lights off in our towns and cities at midnight while all our population are a sleeping or do we fear crimes will rise ?.

[quote][p][bold]M.DANNY[/bold] wrote:
I am backing Lancashire Telegraph to have lights back on M65 Motorway and it is much safer to have lights on motorway in event of accidents.
Britain is a small island our motorway network is small compared to many other countries I want lights on all our motorways .
Switching lights off to reduce carbon emission why not switch street lights off in our towns and cities at midnight while all our population are a sleeping or do we fear crimes will rise ?.[/p][/quote]It's already happening MR. See the following links :-
http://www.telegraph
.co.uk/news/politics
/labour/10438321/Two
-thirds-of-councils-
turning-street-light
s-down-research-find
s.htm
and this one
http://www.telegraph
.co.uk/news/uknews/l
aw-and-order/1047209
6/Cost-cutting-counc
il-contributed-to-de
ath-of-student-by-sw
itching-off-street-l
ights.htmlHarryBosch

M.DANNY wrote…

I am backing Lancashire Telegraph to have lights back on M65 Motorway and it is much safer to have lights on motorway in event of accidents. Britain is a small island our motorway network is small compared to many other countries I want lights on all our motorways . Switching lights off to reduce carbon emission why not switch street lights off in our towns and cities at midnight while all our population are a sleeping or do we fear crimes will rise ?.

Ipsoregulated

This website and associated newspapers adhere to the Independent Press Standardards Organisations's Editors' Code of Practice. If you have a compaint about editorial content which relates to inaccuracy or intrusion, then please contact the editor here. If you are dissatisfied with the response provided you can contact IPSO here